A/N - Okay I tried not to kill you guys with sadness in this chap...let me know if you thought otherwise and I'll try to get Shizuru to pay you a visit and apologize.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mai-Hime ...still... ToT


She opened the door to her dorm room and groaned as it shut behind her. Her protective mask falling off of her face as she made her way to her bed and dropped off her bag.

Tea first, tea then *sigh* everything else.

It had been about a week since the day at the waterpark, and also a week since she got a call from Natsuki. She hasn't called me… Why? Was it the kiss? Did I scare her? I won't do it again… Natsuki I promise just…just call me, I need to hear your voice. No. Maybe she is just busy, after all it was only a peck..on the cheek! Of all places…if only I..I'll just call her then. Shizuru picked out her phone from her bag knocking an advanced trig book out in the process. Ignoring the book, she activated her phone and scrolled her list of contacts until she came to Natsuki's number. The brunette traced her finger across the name a bit before walking over to a little teapot she had on a hotplate burner. I won't call. She hasn't called me which means she's either very busy..or hasn't even thought about it. Am I really this affected by her?

Right at that moment her phone began to vibrate indicating that she had a call. The brunette placed the teabag in the pot and switched on the burner before glancing at the caller I.D. She almost jumped at the name. I didn't expect this.. she thought as she accepted the call.

"Hello? Fujino-san? How are you? I haven't seen you in a while!"

"Ara, hello Tokiha-san I am well. How have you been?" she replied politely.

"Oh I'm great! In fact, Mikoto and I are about to meet up with Reito-san and have dinner and a movie."

"Just the three of you? Natsuki's not going?" Is she with her boyfriend?

"Ugggh, no she's being a lump again. Actually that's why I called you. Can you babysit the bum for me? I offered to drag her out with us but you know her stubborn self… please Fujino-san? It shouldn't take long and I know that you have studies, but if anyone can cheer her up it's you."

Shizuru didn't wait a second to think about her studies as she answered. "Of course Mai-san."

"Thank you so much Fujino-san! I'll tell-" Mai was interrupted mid-sentence.

"Maiiiii! Where's the mayo?" A husky voice growled through the other end of the phone, the brunette could automatically know it was her. Natsuki.

"Who knows…hehehe.."

"OH you BETTER not have thrown away my third supply stock! Get over here!" Thud noises and loud bangs were heard from the other end as the crimson eyed woman chuckled to herself for this prize teasing material.

"N-Natsuki! Stop chasing me I'm on the phone! S-STOP IT!" Mai struggled.

"Grrr…Fine but as soon as you hang up, it's on! Who are you talking to anyways? Your boyyyfriend?" Natsuki teased. Shizuru kept silent as she poured a cup of hot green tea into a cup and sat on her queen sized bed.

"Hmm, actually it's a girl…so.." Mai added playfully. The brunette could almost see the kind of expression on the biker's face right now.

"O-Oh um, w-what, you know, uh what's her name then?" There's a blush I wish I could see. She knew Natsuki had matured, yes, but she figured the whole same gender thing hit home for Natsuki and herself from what they had together…or almost had. The smile slowly edged off of her face returning her to regretting and hating her own judgments. Is Natsuki just not the same as me?

The thought was broken thankfully by the reply on the other end.

"Hehehe its Fujino-san." A crack of laughter caused the brunette to remove the phone from her ears and put the device on speaker.

"Gimme the pho-..no MAI! Give it! GIVE ME THE PHONE YOU BUSYBODY DANG!..*ah-hem* S-Shizuru? You there?"

Shizuru picked the phone back up and turned off speaker to answer. "Hello Natsuki." She said with a smile, although the blunette couldn't see it.

"Hey. A-Are you still mad about the park? Because if so I am so sorry.." Silence. "Takeda and I have been thinking about it and lately we have missed you being around with us. I was going to call you right after he took me home, but he wanted to hang out so I guess I lost track of time…you know?"

The unspoken question being you know what it's like when you are with your boyfriend? Shizuru placed her cup down on a small dresser by her bed and laid down on her back. The long silence made the blunette kind of nervous as Shizuru heard the girl clear her throat awkwardly for the past 20 seconds.

"A-anyways, Takeda had some work come up so he can't keep me company tonight while everyone's out…wanna come over?" Natsuki asked with an ounce of uncertainty in her voice.

Shizuru closed her eyes and fought back a thought about being second place to Natsuki's boyfriend and uttered a quiet yes. With that she hung up the phone, no longer able to handle the sounds of the other girl whose natural breathing caused a quake in her heart. Shizuru grabbed her keys and left to the parking lot.


While pulling up at the Fuuka dorms, somewhere on the inside she was happy about seeing her friend. But Shizuru had this strange queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. At first she thought it might had been the tea on an empty stomach idea, but that was only to distract from the intuition that something unpleasant was going to happen... brunette knocked softly on the door and waited a couple of minutes. No answer. Was she too late? Did Natsuki end up going after all? She gave a shrug and after another unanswered advance decided to leave. Just as she turned, she heard a bang from behind the door followed by a loud curse, then the door swung wide open revealing Natsuki clad in a white and red 'lifeguard' hoodie, powdered blue jean shorts, and long blue locks in a lazy low ponytail. Even at the laid-back appearance of her desire, Shizuru could not stop an electric excitement from rushing through her chest. She stood there quietly studying the blunette in admiration noticing that a few strands of hair were hanging chastely by her cheek. She swallowed and took a few deep breaths to stop her already raging hormones.

"You...planning on coming in or just standing there staring?" Natsuki teased.

Ara.. she's gotten to be quite perceptive. I'm sure my mask was fully in place this whole time. Without a word she entered the moderately sized dorm and grabbed a seat on the love seat with Natsuki settling next to her. How ironically named.. Shizuru chided in a sad humor. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before the brunette decided to spark up some healthy conversation. It was either that or be tormented by the biker girl's interesting choice of sitting posture. Her right leg was resting on top of the sofa, while her other dragged lazily from one side of the carpeting to another owning the blunette's own undivided attention.

Shizuru blinked and turned her etiquette to charming. "So, how has Natsuki been these past few days?"

The blunette laughed happily. The sound was heaven to Shizuru's ears. It was echoed in the empty space with a low husky tone and was laced with a gleeful spur. The brunette smiled a true smile reserved only for the people closest to her. I'll never tire of that sound.

"Mou Shizuru, you always ask that! Makes me remember that time I went on that class trip to Hokkaido." She said in a wide grin. It was true, the brunette smiled as she drifted off into a memory.

FLASHBACK:

"Mmmf! S-Shizuru!" The blunette squirmed in the warm embrace of the older woman blushing to an entire new shade at what was happening.

"Yes Na-tsu-ki?" A low Kyoto-ben dragged through Natsuki's ears as she felt warm smooth skin rub against her.

"P-Please..."

"Yes?" Shizuru teased, knowing full well what she wanted.

"Can you let go already!?" Natsuki whipped out of the warm hug, much to Shizuru's displeasure, and turned to face her with a gigantic blush on her cheeks.

Kawaii! *sigh* Natsuki you just love torturing me don't you? Squealed the brunette inside her head. "Ara, I was just giving Natsuki a hug goodbye, is that not okay with her?"

"Don't act all innocent! A hug is okay! Groping and...breathing on my ear…i-is not…Shizuru what are you doing?" The blunette asked as the Kaichou as she lifted the earmuffs she had just received mid-sentence. As I thought, this was the right color. The biker gave her an unamused glare, and finally relented to an eye-roll, removing the muffs and sliding them down her neck like headphones.

"I just thought since the weather might be a little chilly."

"It's going to be 98 degrees! I'm not wearing these! *grumble grumble* trying to kill me *grumble*"

"Natsuki should have something to remember me by when she goes away. I wouldn't want her to forget her best friend.." Shizuru said in a mock weak tone. She could've sworn she heard a small whimper before a loud growl burst through the 'almost victory fakeout.'

"I'm going on a class trip to Hokkaido, not moving to Canada!" She grunted and shoved her hands in her pockets on the way out of the student council room. 3…2…1

"Please Natsuki?" Shizuru pleaded right before the door closed. She chuckled as she heard a loud grumble and her name thrown in a couple times after the door shut, and quietly headed back to her desk.

FLASHBACK END.


Shizuru had been so miserable during those two days of Natsuki's absence she was tempted to stay from school. That would be very un-fujino-like… not to mention..The brunette was brought out of her haze of reminiscence as Natsuki finished talking. "You had pounced on me as soon as I walked in the door. Then out of nowhere you sit down and ask me how I've been these past few days."

It was true, I lost control and had to restrain by my default. She had been surprised that the blunette came to her directly, normally she'd have to seek her out and catch her attention. I should apologize. Back then I had not respected Natsuki's space and could not hold myself back which later resulted in a lot of mistakes I wish I could take back

"I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable before, I just-" Shizuru felt her body tense and shudder as she felt Natsuki rush in and engulf her into a warm embrace pulling her friend as close as she could.

"Now we're even." She whispered. Shizuru's eyes shut tightly. *Deep breath*

Natsuki…don't. I can't take anything that will build up my hopes. Don't hug me like you've missed me. Don't hug me like you've been thinking about me. Don't hug me like you love me the same way I love you…because I know all it takes is one time. Even as I say this now, I already know the other side of me that took so long to bury, has been awakened. Shaky hands made their way up to Natsuki's back and began stroking up and down slowly. Natsuki smiled and hummed in approval, thinking her friend was finally loosening up a bit. The hands slid underneath the hoodie and made contact with a thin tank-top.

Natsuki's eyes snapped open and she released her tight grip on her red-eyed friend's body and pulled out of the hug causing the hands to pull away from under her hoodie. "Shizuru? Are you okay? You seemed a little off when you came in..but now you just seem..I don't know. Sad?"

The brunette said nothing, she just kept unwavering eye contact with the object of her desires. Nobody knew of the silent battles going on in her mind at that point, but it was enough to cause a falter in her perfectly designed mask of diplomacy. Natsuki placed a hand on her friend's cheek. "Shizuru. You can talk to me. I'm here, always."

The rapid clouding in her eyes finally burst and released streams of salty tears trickling down her face. She's going to hate me. You promised. Friends…friends…she has Takeda…you are not needed. You are not wanted. You will only ruin everything you have tried to prove since the Carnival…self-control self- control.

Kiss. Shizuru felt soft lips on her cheek. Slowly coming to her delayed reaction she allowed herself to open her eyes. What she saw tore her heart to pieces..again. The look on her face was the same as it had been when Natsuki first kissed her at the carnival. Saving her from herself. Back the the only thoughts that came to Shizuru's head was shock. Shock and hope. But now, after all this time, receiving the same kiss..she clicked. Giving in entirely to her core goal. Make Natsuki mine. "Kannin na…"

The last words uttered by the ex-kaichou before she kissed back. On the lips.


A/N- later guys! :D

(Oh ill update Bet soon)